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Simon Wicks
Simon Wicks was the womanising, hardworking barman at The Queen Victoria, son of Pat Wicks and father of Steven Beale. Simon first arrived in Albert Square in October 1985, where it later transpired he had ran away from his mother, Pat Wicks, because he had stolen money from her to try and get out of debts he had gotten himself into. Simon turned to Pete Beale, who he originally thought was his father, to bail him out of his mounting debt. In 1986 Simon joined youngsters Ian Beale, Kelvin Carpenter and Sharon Watts in creating a band, named "The Banned". Their attempts at becoming a successful pop group fell flat and by the end of the year, The Banned was no more. Pat dropped a bombshell on Pete and Simon in 1986 when she told Pete that he was not Simon's biological father. Both Pete and Simon were in disbelief and convinced one another they were father and son. Even Lou Beale convinced the pair they were related, until Pat revealed she had also slept with Pete's brother, Kenny Beale on the same day she conceived. Pete and Kenny decided to confront Pat over who Simon's real father was, although they were both left shocked when Pat later revealed she thought Brian Wicks, Simon's adoptive father, was really his biological father. In 1988, Simon enjoyed casual relationships with the likes of Donna Ludlow, Sharon Watts and Cindy Williams. Simon liked the freedom he had with women, which he soon found after his relationship with Magda Czajkowski broke down in March 1988. In May 1989, Simon had a one-night stand with Cindy, who at the time was in a relationship with Ian Beale. Cindy fell pregnant with Simon's baby, but did not tell Ian the truth. Ian believed the baby was his, and he and Cindy married in October 1989. By August 1990, Cindy realised she loved Simon more than Ian. She told Ian that Simon was the father of Steven Beale, which resulted in Ian feuding with the pair. Cindy and Simon got together and planned to continue their lives in Walford as a family, but when Simon realised Ian would not give up the feud, the three left for a new life in Devon. Simon left Cindy in 1992 and emigrated to New Zealand. Steven learnt that Simon was his father in 2002 and left Ian to live with him, but when Simon reacted badly to his bisexuality, Steven later left him and returned to Ian. Following Pat's death in January 2012, Simon made a brief return to Walford to pay his final respects to his mother. Biography 1985-1986: Settling in Walford Simon first arrived in Walford in October 1985, with the apparent intention of visiting Pete Beale, who he believed was his father. In February 1986, Pete learnt that Simon had actually come to Walford because he was in £1500 debt and needed someone to bail him out. He had also stolen from his mother, Pat Wicks, in an attempt to pay the debts sooner. Pete gave Simon the money he needed to get out of the debts and Simon was grateful to Pete. In 1986, Simon joined youngsters Ian Beale, Kelvin Carpenter and Sharon Watts in setting up a band, which they called "The Banned". Kelvin's friend, Harry Reynolds, and Simon's former guitarist in his old music band, Eddie Hunter, also joined the band, and the group attempted to reach fame with their music. They applied to a music competition in late 1986, but when Harry tampered with the tapes, the band's reputation began to fall flat. By the end of the year, The Banned was no more, and Simon was working as a barman for Den Watts in The Queen Victoria. 1986-1988: Who is Simon's father? Pat arrived in Albert Square in June 1986, where she confessed to Angie Watts that she had affairs with other men whilst she was with Pete. Pat then told Pete that he was not Simon's biological father, leaving Pete shell-shocked. Lou Beale, Pete's mother, was convinced Pat was lying, but when it later transpired Lou had sent Pete's brother, Kenny Beale, to New Zealand because she learnt he had an affair with Pat, Pete started to have doubts over who Simon's father was. Pat later admitted to Pete that she had sex with Kenny just half an hour after having sex with him, meaning she herself was unsure over who the father could be. In 1988, Kenny and Pete decided to confront Pat once and for all over who Simon's father was. They were both taken aback when Pat told them that she actually thought Brian Wicks was Simon's father. Simon was relieved to finally learn who his father was, but did not let the truth stop him from having a father-son relationship with Pete. 1987-1988: Casual relationships In 1987, Simon embarked on a relationship with Magda Czajkowski. However, Magda was in a relationship with Den at the time, and when Den learnt that Simon had been sleeping with his girlfriend, he fired him. Simon then worked at The Vic's local rival, The Dagmar, which was run by James Willmott-Brown. Simon's relationship with Magda blossomed over the following months and in August 1987 she asked him to move in with her. Simon was delighted and the pair bought a flat together, but their relationship quickly broke down, as the pair would frequently have petty arguments. They split up in early 1988 when Magda failed to adequately support Simon as he struggled with the uncertainty over who his biological father was. After Magda, Simon enjoyed a relationship with Donna Ludlow. However, when Cindy Williams came onto the scene in May 1988, Simon's head turned to Cindy, and he lost interest in Donna. Donna did all she could to try and keep Simon interested in her, but she was unable to keep him and ended up single. 1989-1990: Affair with Cindy Beale Simon's relationship with Cindy was initially casual, which led Cindy to quickly grow tired of Simon's womanising ways. When Ian started wooing Cindy, she left Simon for Ian. Cindy originally left Simon for Ian in order to make him jealous, but knowing Ian was a budding entrepreneur was enough to get Cindy to marry him. Simon reignited a relationship with Sharon as a result, but this did not stop Cindy and Simon from each other. In May 1989, Cindy had a one-night stand with Simon. She then fell pregnant and realised she still loved Simon. However, when Simon learnt of the pregnancy, he left Cindy to play happy families with Ian. Cindy married Ian and then gave birth to Steven Beale on Boxing Day 1989. Sharon and Simon's relationship continued to strengthen, but when Sharon started making plans to buy The Vic and run it with Simon, Simon was daunted at the prospect of commitment and soon began showing more interest in Cindy. He then developed paternal feelings for Steven and wanted to leave Sharon for Cindy. Cindy soon started feeling the same way about Simon, and in August 1990, she told Ian that he was not the father of her child. Ian reacted badly to the situation and attempted suicide by crashing his van. Whilst Ian was recovering, Cindy and Simon fled to Devon. Ian was later discharged from hospital and began a feud with the pair of them. Cindy and Simon plucked up the courage to return to Walford and continue living their lives as planned, but this was not made easy, as Pauline Fowler and Pete did whatever it took to make the pair feel unwelcome in Albert Square. A paternity test from Ian later proved Simon was the father, leaving Ian crushed. By December 1990, Ian became so determined to get rid of Simon that he cut the brakes on his work van and got Simon to drive it. Simon crashed the van and finally realised Ian would not stop terrorising him until he left. Cindy, Simon and Steven left Albert Square for a new life in Devon at the end of 1990. 1991-2012: Intervening years and a brief return Simon continued living with Cindy and Steven in Devon from 1990 until 1992, when he abandoned her and moved abroad. He later settled in New Zealand, and in 2002, when Steven learnt that Simon was his father, he flew out to New Zealand to live with him. By 2007, Steven had returned to the Square. This was because Simon had reacted badly to him coming out as bisexual. In 2011, it was revealed that Simon had a wife, Miriam, who David Wicks, Simon's half-brother, had an affair with. David returned to the Square while Simon stayed out in New Zealand. In January 2012, Pat died of cancer. Her funeral was held on the same month, where David claimed that Simon was unable to catch a flight to attend the funeral. However, Simon turned up in the evening after the funeral and laid flowers by Pat's graveside. Other information * Whilst it is believed that Brian Wicks is the biological father of Simon, this has never been proved. In fact, doubt still remained over Simon's true parentage in 1995 with producers. Background information * Nick Berry's casting as Simon Wicks has been described by series creator Julia Smith as "one of the fastest on record". * The character of Simon Wicks was devised by Julia Smith overnight. This was because David Scarboro, the original actor of Mark Fowler, had unexpectedly quit the show, leaving an imbalance in the cast. * Nick Berry quit the role of Simon in 1990 because he feared being typecast. * The decision to have Nick Berry return for the aftermath of Pat Wicks's funeral was a last-minute one, which was filmed on 12th January 2012, just a day before the transmission of his one-off return. First and last lines "Turpin Road market love?" (First line, to Angie Watts) --- "Goodbye mum." (Final line) See also *Full list of appearances Category:EastEnders characters Category:1985 debuts Category:2012 departures Category:Wicks family Category:1965 births Category:The Queen Victoria potmen Category:The Dagmar staff Category:The Banned members Category:Residents of 14B Walford Towers Category:Residents of 3A Albert Square Category:The Queen Victoria residents Category:Abercorn B&B residents